Cost-of-living allowances for military retirees have been put on hold, but local politicians say they are fighting for their reinstatement.

As a cost-cutting measure, COLA — the cost-of-living allowances that are used to match military pensions with the rate of inflation — has been cut by an estimated $6.2 billion over the next 10 years and will affect military retirees under the age of 62. The Ryan-Murray Budget Plan, which has passed the U.S. Senate and House and includes the cuts, was backed by two North Carolina leaders: U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, a Democrat; and U.S. Rep. Renee Ellmers, a Republican. Since its passing, Hagan and U.S. Rep. Walter Jones Jr., a Republican, have proposed legislation to repeal the provision that reduces pensions.

Service members are eligible for pensions after 20 years of service. Additional benefits also are available, such as disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs. In addition to service members who complete 20 years, those who are injured also are eligible for retirement before the 20-year mark. Cost-of-living allowances are part of individual retiree’s current benefits.

“Washington has been paralyzed by partisan gridlock,” Hagan said in a press release on Tuesday. “While no bill is perfect, it is time for Congress to stop the political games, end sequestration, and come together on behalf of the American people.”

Along with Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Hagan has introduced a bill to restore the cuts. Hagan did not provide specifics on alternative budget cuts or comment on whether medically retired service members will be affected by the COLA cuts.

But the president of the Onslow County Council of Veterans Service Organizations, Prentis Campbell, said veterans are used to making sacrifices for their country; and this is just one more that needs to be made.

“The most important thing is that we as service folks, we have always been able to adjust,” said Campbell, a 64-year-old Vietnam veteran. “This is not the first time we’ve gone through something like this. As service members, we must back our president and those who make our laws.

“This won’t be the last adjustment we will have to make,” he said. “Adjustments are a thing of life.”

President Obama, he said, identified that money needed to be cut from somewhere and this is where the lawmakers decided to cut it, but that doesn’t mean that veterans can’t make it work.

“This isn’t the first time veterans have been affected by budgets and it won’t be the last,” Campbell said. “You can live with it; it’s not the end of the world.”

But if Jones has his way, his co-sponsored legislation will repeal the benefit cuts entirely with two of the bills offsetting the cost through alternative measures, such as closing a tax loophole for illegal immigrants and reducing foreign spending. Jones added that an additional proposed bill would exempt medically retired service members and surviving spouses from the COLA reduction.

“After all the sacrifices that our men and women in uniform have made ...it’s egregious that we would consider cutting the retiree benefits they have rightfully earned,” Jones told The Daily News on Monday.